M1 lorry hijack gang stole GBP5m of Apple products, say police | Crime | The Guardian
Police are searching for a gang they believe stole £5m of Apple products during a hijacking on the M1.
Officers said a lorry was targeted on a slip road in Northamptonshire. The driver and a security guard were tied up while the thieves drove their vehicle a short distance, before transferring the goods to their own truck and abandoning the pair.
Northamptonshire police said they believe the gang then moved all 48 pallets of Apple products to a third vehicle about 10 miles away, before dumping the truck and driving off.
They are appealing for witnesses to the incident, which took place between 7.45pm and 8pm on Tuesday 10 November.
“Officers would like to speak to anyone who may have seen a number of vehicles on the slip road at junction 18 between the stated times, which may have looked out of place, or who may have dashcam footage of this area,” the force said on Tuesday.
“They would also like to speak to anyone who may have been offered any Apple products for sale in unusual circumstances, or who knows of anyone who is selling such items at low-cost prices.”
The hijacking took place on the motorway between Northampton and Rugby. The thieves drove the lorry with the tied-up occupants eastwards to the village of Crick, about half a mile away, police said. After that, they made the short journey north over the border into Leicestershire and dumped the second vehicle in the town of Lutterworth.
A police spokesman said the stolen consignment included Apple Watches, a variety of iPads and charging devices.
In June, the BBC reported that iPhones stolen during looting in the US were tracked, disabled and the local authorities notified.
The broadcaster reported that devices displayed messages saying: “Please return to Apple Walnut Street. This device has been disabled and is being tracked. Local authorities will be alerted.” The store was one that had been targeted by the looters.
The firm has not responded to a request for comment and it is not clear whether or not the devices stolen in the UK are tracked, nor whether any information has been provided to the authorities.
After thieves targeted two Apple stores in Perth, Australia, last September, officers said the stolen phones had inbuilt security functions which the manufacturer would enable, rendering the phones unusable.
Police are searching for a gang they believe stole £5m of Apple products during a hijacking on the M1.
Officers said a lorry was targeted on a slip road in Northamptonshire. The driver and a security guard were tied up while the thieves drove their vehicle a short distance, before transferring the goods to their own truck and abandoning the pair.
Northamptonshire police said they believe the gang then moved all 48 pallets of Apple products to a third vehicle about 10 miles away, before dumping the truck and driving off.
They are appealing for witnesses to the incident, which took place between 7.45pm and 8pm on Tuesday 10 November.
“Officers would like to speak to anyone who may have seen a number of vehicles on the slip road at junction 18 between the stated times, which may have looked out of place, or who may have dashcam footage of this area,” the force said on Tuesday.
“They would also like to speak to anyone who may have been offered any Apple products for sale in unusual circumstances, or who knows of anyone who is selling such items at low-cost prices.”
The hijacking took place on the motorway between Northampton and Rugby. The thieves drove the lorry with the tied-up occupants eastwards to the village of Crick, about half a mile away, police said. After that, they made the short journey north over the border into Leicestershire and dumped the second vehicle in the town of Lutterworth.
A police spokesman said the stolen consignment included Apple Watches, a variety of iPads and charging devices.
In June, the BBC reported that iPhones stolen during looting in the US were tracked, disabled and the local authorities notified.
The broadcaster reported that devices displayed messages saying: “Please return to Apple Walnut Street. This device has been disabled and is being tracked. Local authorities will be alerted.” The store was one that had been targeted by the looters.
The firm has not responded to a request for comment and it is not clear whether or not the devices stolen in the UK are tracked, nor whether any information has been provided to the authorities.
After thieves targeted two Apple stores in Perth, Australia, last September, officers said the stolen phones had inbuilt security functions which the manufacturer would enable, rendering the phones unusable.
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